Tuesday, March 13, 2012

How to Spot a Third Class Parliament?

Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has rejected an urgent motion to thrash out the controversies surrounding the National Feedlot Centre (NFC), on the grounds that the matter is now rests with the court.

The Dewan Rakyat has turned down four questions related to the settlement struck between former Malaysia Airlines chairperson Tajudin Ramli and government-linked corporations (GLCs), saying that the question were sub judice.

The questions were rejected on the reasoning that it could have an implication to other ongoing legal battles at the Court of Appeal and pending cases in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

Did the government choose to hide behind the judiciary? What is the purpose of a parliament if issues of significance especially those which involved public coffers and accountability cannot be discussed in the parliament?

Both controversies are linked to governance and public policy. The fact that the government did not initiate an audit on NFC after irregularities were discovered by the Auditor General already justifies a motion in the parliament.

The government says it wants to learn from its past mistakes but we found out that old habits die hard.

On MAS, why is Tajudin allowed to scoot away without having to the compensation granted by the High Court? Again, this is purely government's decision to agree on such settlement. Yet, the motion to discuss the rational of such generous settlement was disallowed?

If this parliament can allow motions on Palestine and Iraq, it should have allowed motions which are serious and already in the public domain.

Why should we pay the salary of our parliamentarians and speaker of the house if they are not allowed to do their job?

Is it so difficult to spot a third class parliament?

Sack the speaker! This is something our prime minister can do to show us that he is serious about reforms.

There is only one way we can undo the wrong that all of us have wronged in the GE 12. Let us all make it right this time around on GE-13 in order we can safeguard the future of children and grandchildren. Remember the VOTERS are the one that can demand changes by voting out unscrupulous govt.

Another use of convenient excuse 'sub judice' to thwart questions put forward by member of parliment by our "honorable" house speaker pertaining to public police and government affair, if this type of mentality continue down the road, it is better for our nation to dissolve our parliment and let the judiciary handle all the issues concerning the people. Another sign of mental regression in our nation's democratic institution leader, Sigh!

"Sack the speaker! This is something our prime minister can do to show us that he is serious about reforms."

But this is exactly what Umno wanted....using the speaker to gag the opposition. In fact, the speaker is getting instructions from Umno/PM to act the way he is acting now. When is the speaker ever independent ? Semua wayang lah.

Khoo Kay Peng

Khoo Kay Peng

About Me

Kay Peng is a strategy and management consultant and a political analyst. He holds a bachelor degree in Economics from the University of Malaya and a master of arts degree in International Relations from the University of Warwick. He was a Kuok Foundation and a British Chevening scholar.

For more information on what he does; please visit www.i3mgroup.com

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